Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Optics Swarovski Z6 vs Zeiss Diavari FL. Help to decide.

Im torn between the Swarovski 3-18X50 Z6 BR and the Zeiss Diavari 4-16X50 FL Rapid Z 800.
It'll be used 50/50 target and hunting. Short and long range.
The Swarovski has a better X range, but I believe the Zeiss may have the edge in image quality and low light capability. Correct me if I'm wrong.
Any image distortion at the low X end with either?
My IOR 4-14X50 Tactical has some distortion at the low end. Looking to replace it. Kinda fussy with optics.
If I can't decide I'll get an ACR.

Both great scopes - I partial to the Zeiss though!! (cause I just got one LOL!!)

I think I read on here the Zeiss has a locking 1/3 MOA adjustments instead of 1/4 MOA. This alone would seal the deal for me.

I've never looked through the Zeiss 4-16X50 but everything I see on paper makes me want to.

I've owned a few of the Swarovski PH line scopes. A fine piece of glass for sure.

Terry

Zeiss hands down. Better glass and the reticle can actually used for hunting. Reticle is the Zeiss has provisions for wind and is not nearly as scant as the ones Swarovski is using these days. Hair thin reticles are fine as long as all the animals you hunt feed around noon.

The 4-16x50 is one hell of a scope - this is coming from a Schmidt&Bender man!!

Ive used both and like the Z6 much better.

slg888 - quit smokin crack!!

300FAG,only crack Im smokin, is your wife's crack.

Zeiss is a poormans Swarovki.

The the Swaro is a poor mans Schmidt&Bender!! LOL!!!

I'd probably be happy with any 3 just mentioned minus the crack.

Terry

They are all great optics!! (With or Without crack - LOL!!)

I have owned both a Z6 and a Diavari Ziess.

The Z6 has the wider mag range and bigger field of view.

The Ziess has sharper optics,and the reticle was much bolder and better in low light.

For hunting at dawn and dusk,the Ziess is far superior IMHO.

I sold the Z6 and bought another Ziess.

I know that I'm in the minority here, but for a big game scope, I prefer a FFP especially with a ranging reticle. I took a look at a Swaro Z6 with BR reticle when they first came out & the reticle looked to be too thin for low light shots. I had a Swaro PH 3-12x50 with TDS reticle & a Zeiss Diavari 2.5-10x50 with duplex reticle on my 2 go to rifles at the time. I wanted to replace the Zeiss with a scope with a ranging reticle. Rather than buy the Z6, I found another Swaro PH with TDS which had been discontinued. In my opinion, the old TDS reticle is far superior to the BR.

At this level of optics you can't go wrong. What's more important is construction, reticle selection, etc because on optics alone they are all top of the line

I agree that the PH series Swaros with the TDS reticle are great hunting scopes.

I have a TDS Swaro on my favorite long range rifle.

I agree that the reticle in the Z6(a SFP) looks too thin in low light.

My two favorite hunting scopes are PH swaros with TDS for long range,and Ziess Victory for low light hunting.

Thats why we have Fords & Chevrolets. To my eyes, I would give my Swaro PH 3-12x50 a slight edge in low light vs. my Zeiss 2.5-10x50.

Its hard to imagine something better in lowlight than a victory.

I thought the same thing until I alternated looking thru both scopes across a pasture at a underground telephone line pedestal. Distance was 300 yds. & in the shadows of some trees. I continued alternating between the two scopes until complete dark. With the Swaro, I could see a little more detail than with the Zeiss.

A few years ago I built a multiple scope holder and compared a Zeiss Diavari 2.5-10X50 to a Swarovski PH 3-12X50. They were very, very close to each other in every test. Ultimately, the Zeiss had a slight edge and I bought it. I couldn't get use to the FFP reticle so I sold it. No crack involved.

I have a few more months to decide. Maybe I can get another dealer to send me a couple for a comparison.

What's the deal with Swarovski's warranty? Their site has nothing about it's length. Didn't Swaro have a hard coating on their PH lenses? Do they now? Again, their site isn't very informative.

Is LotuTec a soft or hard coating? Does it eventually rub off with repeated cleanings?

Great! Someone with some real hunting sense! Swaro PH 3x12x50 with TDS is mighty hard to beat. It is a shame the geniouses in Austria decided to discontinue the best hunting scope made!(My experienced opinion) You can still get Schmidt and Benders with TDS reticle by the way.